Two familiar faces from the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout are making waves on the international stage, proving that their talents extend far beyond Cincinnati.

In a thrilling December 14, 2024 matchup at Fifth Third Arena, former Bearcat Simas Lukošius dropped 14 points to lead Cincinnati to a 68-65 victory over Xavier. Meanwhile, Musketeer guard Dante Maddox Jr. contributed two points and three rebounds off the bench. Fast forward a few months, and both players are now headlining overseas leagues with MVP-caliber performances.

Lukošius, the sharpshooter who played under coach Wes Miller at Cincinnati, has taken his game to Lithuania's Rytas Vilnius. In a stunning comeback during the Basketball Champions League Final Four in Spain, he nailed seven three-pointers and scored 23 points to lead his team from a 20-point deficit to victory over AEK BC (Greece). His heroics earned him the Final Four MVP title. "I feel amazing," Lukošius said. "I can't say what happened because I still have to figure it out myself. Our work throughout the season has paid off today." With his half-German heritage, he's also caught the eye of the German national team coach, who attended his clutch performance.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Maddox is rewriting his own story. After a single season at Xavier (2024-25), where he averaged 7.3 points and shot 41.1% from deep, he joined Okapi Aalst in Belgium's BNXT League. There, he's been nothing short of unstoppable, averaging 24.9 points per game while shooting 46.9% from three-point range and 88.6% from the free-throw line. That dominant run earned him the league's MVP honors. His Xavier highlight? A 26-point explosion against Providence, where he went 6-for-9 from beyond the arc.

From the Crosstown Shootout to European glory, these two former Cincinnati rivals are proving that the Queen City breeds champions—no matter where the game takes them.